Kiss Me Not (Kiss Me 1)

I wrinkled my face up in disgust. This was the thing I’d been frustrated about.

ME: They do know there are rules, don’t they? It’s not a make-out contest.

AVA: Someone tried telling them that, but they didn’t listen. I think they all have hair appointments on Monday.

AVA: Some of them might even be getting their nails done.

ME: It’s a kissing booth, not a dating show.

AVA: Tell them that. They all think it’s a chance to convince Preston he’s madly in love with them.

ME: Does nobody here have anything better to do with their lives?

AVA: No.

AVA: It’s not like there are a bunch of options in this town. Preston is young, hot af, and loaded. He’s a prime catch.

ME: He’s also insanely annoying, cocky, and a pain in the ass.

AVA: That’s just how you feel about him.

ME: My feelings are usually right.

AVA: In your opinion.

ME: My opinions are usually right.

AVA: How are your raccoons?

ME: Presumably eating the sandwiches I left for them.

AVA: And you still think you’re a good judge of character?

ME: I’m an excellent judge of character. They don’t rummage through my trash anymore, do they? I’m a genius.

AVA: You have issues.

ME: Given that I run the library, I have lots of issues. Mostly of books.

REAGAN: What the fuck are you two talking about?

It was always nice when she popped into the group chat without reading the messages before.

ME: How many girls are going to suck face with your brother and seduce him in the next week.

REAGAN: I already bet that you’d lose, Hals.

AVA: SHE ISN’T GOING TO LOSE, REAGAN, YOU FAITHLESS BITCH.

REAGAN: Look, I’m usually all for Halley winning, but against my brother? Come on. Every single 20-something woman and a few 30-somethings have their eye on him. They’re going to be camping out the night before to kiss him first.

ME: Can we argue this tomorrow? I’m watching Gilmore Girls and I need to judge Rory for all her life choices. It’s hard when y’all are judging me.

AVA: She gets with Dean?

ME: Yeah.

REAGAN: She doesn’t know he’s married.

ME: It doesn’t excuse her behavior in the reboot, Reagan.

REAGAN: This is why you aren’t allowed to watch reboots.

ME: I have strong feelings.

AVA: Yeah, for Preston.

ME: Hey, Ava, how’s Butler?

REAGAN: LOLOLOL

AVA: I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to him tonight. He’s busy.

ME: It’s like talking to a donut.

REAGAN: Don’t insult donuts.

AVA: I know what you’re asking, idiots. I’m choosing not to rise to the bait. I’m not a fish.

ME: Whatever.

AVA: We all know it’s just so you don’t have to address your feelings for Preston.

ME: It’s a crush. That’s all. I can be attracted to an attractive man and still dislike him.

REAGAN: It’s true. But after nine years of a crush, I don’t think you can use that excuse anymore.

ME: It’s way more fun to judge people than it is to be judged.

AVA: We’re not judging you.

REAGAN: I’m totally judging you.

ME: I want new best friends. You should be supporting me through this difficult time.

AVA: …He’s your competition. He didn’t die in unexpected circumstances.

REAGAN: You don’t want new best friends. They couldn’t put up with your shit.

ME: I don’t want to listen to him kissing other people!!!!!!

And there it was. The real admission that I didn’t want to hear it happening. They didn’t really need me to say it, but I know they wanted me to. Just because they were pains in the damn ass.

REAGAN: Of course you don’t want to hear him kissing other women. Especially not the kind of women who’ll be lining up to kiss him.

AVA: I wouldn’t want to hear them, either. I hate the sound of people kissing. All those slurpy little tongue-slapping sounds aren’t my jam.

ME: Yeah, but you listen to classical music for fun. Not to relax, but for fun.

AVA: We aren’t all punk-rock heathens.

ME: I haven’t listened to punk-rock since I was sixteen.

REAGAN: You’re boring me now. I’m going to take a shower. Bye.

AVA: She’s… special.

ME: We’re all special, Ava. That’s why we’re friends. That’s how this works.

AVA: I want new friends.

ME: Nobody wants us. I just said that.

AVA: Right. Well, I’ll put out some feelers online, just in case.

ME: You do that, babe.

AVA: So… Brunch tomorrow?

ME: See you at Dana’s at ten.

CHAPTER SIX – HALLEY

Funfairs Aren’t Always Fun

The booth was done.

It felt surreal. I couldn’t believe that the fair was finally opening tonight and that the booth was ready to go.

Mostly because I hadn’t seen Preston for almost two days. Ever since he’d gotten done with the sign and helping me put out the posts, he’d disappeared, and I hadn’t heard from him at all.

I was torn. On the one hand, I was happy about that. The less time I had to spend with him, the better. It was going to be a rough week as it was, and Sunday was a dreadful day to start a summer fair.